Bill Schildknecht's Bio

Have used these all season for early morning century starts or to squeeze in a ride at dusk. Provide great visibility for such a small size. Also like the simple attachment - very quick. By no means an every day solution - but great for those times when you don't want to be caught out without electric visibility.

I previously had the BCA saw but needed one that can extend in order to cut the back of extended column tests. This is a great tool - really well made. The sheath is well made and makes carrying in my avy tool pack pocket much easier - and safer. After seeing my Avy 2 instructor dig pits in 10 minutes with one of these, I was sold.

You have to wear this jacket to truly appreciate the Omni-Heat technology. This is one of the most comfortable - and warm - jackets I've ever had. The reflective liner is super comfortable and breathes well. This is a great value for the $.

This is the Columbia Stryker pack loaded with touring gear. One of the best features is how the pack completely opens and lays flat, allowing easy and quick access. The ski carrying system is one of the best I've used.

I bought these for my wife and they are now her favorite running shorts, so much so that she bought a pair for her other running friends. The waistband is super comfortable and the overall fit is awesome.

I've been using the Speedez for the last year or so in Nor Cal. Given our short rainy season, these are great to slap on when the weather turns wet, then quickly put back in the drawer until the next storm. Having more than one road bike, I appreciate being able to put these quickly on whatever steed I choose for the day. Definitely recommend trimming the rubber bands that wrap around your chain-stays/fork, as they come super long. I've tried using electrical tape to secure the excess material, but finally decided to hack off the ends.

As others have mentioned, expect that these are a quick fix fender. If you need something day-in/day-out, I'd go with a more traditional fender that will provide greater stability through a more permanent attachment mechanism.

This is a great cold weather jersey. The wool fabric is simply fantastic - great soft feel and breathes well. My only wish is for more traditional back pockets, as my tendency is to over-stuff with spare tubes, food, etc,... The pockets on this jersey hold a cellphone and keys easily, but won't hold all your necessities for a long ride. Given the styling of the product, you'll likely wear this as an everyday piece beyond just for cycling purposes.

This is a great design. The flexible yet sturdy external frame maintains the form of the pack, such that the contents don't get squashed and mangled. An internal mesh divider keeps things secure and internal pockets are great for things like your wallet or cell phone. The pack weighs next to nothing - which lets me use it for everything from trail runs to trips to town.

The Marmot Scree pants are easily my favorite pant. The softshell fabric is super comfortable and isn't bulky. The cuffs easily fit over ski boots for touring, then zip up for heading into town. At 100 bucks, you can't go wrong with these. And they're made by Marmot, so you really can't go wrong.

I recently purchased this saw after having tried the BCA blue handled saw and found it impossible to isolate the back of columns in the pit. The BD Flicklock fits easily and securely on the end of my BD poles. The included sheath is also a huge improvement over the small strip of rubber that you get with the BCA saw. If you're doing any kind of snow study, this is the saw for you.

This is the Cadillac of ski helmets in my opinion. The fit is fantastic and the best I've experienced. Inside the mesh-like lining breathes well and has stayed in good shape after many long, sweaty days. Getting fresh air into the helmet is easily accomplished by a flick of the side switches. Lastly the outer material is hard and won't show small bumps and dings. This is the best helmet I've ever tried on.

My old boot is a T2 - so these are significantly more stiff and burly. I'm finding that I feel more comfortable skiing aggressively and charging lines with this boot. Am also able to shift between tele and parallel turns more easily and can carve a better parallel turn.

pros: -beefy front tongue allows you to apply greater forward pressure on the ski -the boa liner closure is quick and works flawlessly -going from walk to ski mode takes only a simple flick of the rear latch - and you can actually feel and hear the mechanism engage/disengage -my first 4 buckle tele boot - love the adjustment possibilities

cons: -weight - for long distance touring I'll likely go back to the T2's

I've tried these and the BD clips simultaneously on different sets of boards. The thumb trigger to open the latch can be tricky to handle with gloves on. I've also looked down a few times to find these completely disengaged - not sure exactly how they came off. I prefer the BD biner clips over these.

This is the easiest to attach and most secure clip I've ever used. The square edges on the back of the biner make it easy to grip with gloved fingers. When I'm not clipped in, I can easily attach these to the binding wires to keep them from flopping around. Ski safe and use these clips.

I was curious as to how this pack would do after a day in an all out blizzard given that it doesn't have a pack cover. The pack performed perfectly. All of the inside contents were completely dry after 8+ hours in less than ideal conditions.

This is my patrol pack of choice for the 09/10 patrol season at Bear Valley, CA. The pack has many great features (fleece lined goggle pocket, enclosed avy tool pocket that fits shovel, probe and snow saw), but my favorite is that the back panel unzips entirely so that you can completely open up the pack from the back and lay it open on the snow as a work space - keeping gloves and supplies off of the snow. You'll definitely appreciate this when reaching the top of the skin track - as you can easily stow your skins and grab water/food. The side pockets are also great to store quick need items (cpr mask and gloves in my case). If you spend any time on lift served terrain, you'll appreciate that the pack is not too wide, making getting on and off a chairlift more manageable. I prefer to a-frame my skis, but they can also be carried diagonally. My one wish is for a built-in pack cover like the ones you'll find on the Traverse Rescue patrol packs. Overall, a great pack.

Just got these and took them out for a cold weather run (20 degrees and windy). Was looking for something with a bit more wind protection and these fit the bill. Great combination of wind protection and breathability. Would love to have a more secure adjustment at the waist - although I didn't have any specific problem.

I've been watching the tour daily and have seen Cavendish, Hincapie and Armstrong wearing these, so had to give them a try. Hands down these are the best cycling glasses I've ever had. Surprisingly lightweight. The lens changing technology is flawless, making it easy to clean up after a long, sweaty ride - or simply swap lenses depending on conditions. Thinking that these will also be great for skate skiing once the snow arrives.